Discharge regulators for hydraulic plants



April 17, 1956 P. w. SEEWER DISCHARGE REGULATORS FOR HYDRAULIC PLANTS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1954 April 17, 1956 P. w. SEEWER 2,742,055

DISCHARGE REGULATORS FOR HYDRAULIC PLANTS Filed NOV. 5, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent English Electric Company Limited,London, England, a British company Application November 5, 1954, SerialNo. 467,184

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 13, 1953 4 Claims.(Cl. 137613) The invention relates to discharge regulators by means ofwhich large quantities of water, often under considerable pressure, canbe discharged from hydraulic plants with exact quantitative regulationof the water and effective dissipation of its energy. In many cases, itis desirable to fit a discharge regulator with an isolating valve so asto be able to attend to the packings on the discharge valve, and forinspection. However, such an isolating valve, which must have an innerdiameter at least as large or larger than the discharge regulator, isvery bulky and expensive, and in most cases is difficult to fit in,quite apart from its bulk and costs.

According to the present invention a cylindrical balanced dischargeregulator is provided on its upstream side with a shutter device, e. g.a number of radial butterfly valves which in the open position are inalignment with radial ribs arranged upstream of them in a regulatorinlet pipe, and when turned approximately 90 about their radial axescontact one another and seal off the regulator inlet pipe.

on a regulating ring surrounding the discharge regulator tube. 6

They may be turned one at a time by means of a large spanner or otherportable device operated manually, hydraulically or electrically.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into efiect, two embodiments thereof will now be described byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a cylindrical balanced dischargeregulator having an isolating device with internal operating gear, and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a cylindrical balanced dischargeregulator having an isolating device with external operating gear.

The conical regulator inlet pipe 1 is connected by means of radial ribs2 to a hollow central extension 3 of the inner cone 4, the latter beingconnected in the usual manner by radial ribs 5 to the cylindricalregulator tube 6, on which slides the tubular slide valve member 7.

A number of butterfly valves 8, say eight, are pivoted and sealed attheir inner ends in the said central extension 3, and at their outerends in the flange connecting the cylindrical regulator tube 6 to theconical inlet pipe 1. The tips and rootsof the butterfly valves 8 andthe adjacent faces are part spherical.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 1, inside the said 2,742,055Patented Apr. 17, 1956 open end of the inner cone 5 for example by meansof a hand crank 11 or by means of any suitable gearing or drivingmechanism.

By turning the control member 10 about its longitudinal axis, all thebutterfly valves 8 are turned approximately about their radial axes fromthe open position (as shown) in which they are in alignment with theribs 2 and protected by them from detritus carried by the waterdischarged, into a closed position in which they contact one another andseal off the regulator tube 6.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 2 the internal gearing inside of thecentral extension 3 and of the inner cone 4'is omitted, and gear pinionsegments 12 are keyed to extensions of the outer pinions of thebutterfly valves 8. These gear pinion segments 12 are in mesh with abevel gear crown 13 forming a regulator ring surrounding the flangeswhich connect the conical inlet tube 1 and the cylindrical regulatortube 6. This regulator ring has for example one or two lugs 14 which arelinked by connecting rods to a servo-motor or other suitable drivingmechanism.

When turning the bevel gear crown 13 by means of these lugs 14 a smallangle about the longitudinal axis of the discharge regulator, thebutterfly valves 8 are turned approximately 90 about their radial axesfrom the open position shown into a closed position, substantially inthe same manner as described with reference to Fig. 1.

While I have herein described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing what may be considered a typical and particularly usefulembodiment of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that I donot limit myself to the particular details and dimensions described andillustrated, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled inthe art.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A discharge regulator comprising in combination: an inlet pipe, acylindrical regulator tube joining the said inlet pipe downstream, aninner cone tapering towards the said inlet pipe and fixedly attached tothe said cylindrical regulator tube, a tubular slide valve slidablyarranged around the said cylindrical regulator tube controlling the gapbetween the free end of the said cylindrical regulator tube and thecircumference of the base of said inner cone, a central extension of thesaid inner cone, radial ribs fixedly connecting the said centralextension to the said inlet pipe, and a plurality of butterfly valvespivoted each about a radial axis both in the said central extension andin the said regulator tube upstream of the said ribs, the said butterflyvalves in the open position being in alignment with the said ribs, andin the closed position contacting one another and isolating the saidcylindrical regulator tube from the said inlet pipe.

2. A discharge regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the saidbutterfly valves have projections extending radially inward into andsealed in the said central extension of the inner cone, and comprising acentral driving shaft mounted in the said inner cone and centralextension there-' ly outward through the said regulator tube and sealedtherein, and adjustment means mounted on the said projections andadapted to turn the said butterfly valves about their axes.

4. A discharge regulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the saidadjustment means mounted on the said projections of the said butterflyvalves have bevel toothing, and comprising in addition a bevel gearcrown mounted rotatably coaxially to the said inlet pipe and cylindricalregulator tube and meshing with the said bevel toothing 10 2,580,384

of the said butterfly valves, turning all of themsimultaneously abouttheir radial axes when being turned about its own axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ScheidApr. 23, 1935 Schlagenhaufi Aug. 6, 1935 Hazen Jan. 1, 1952

